Saint-ÃÂmilion (; ) is an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for red wine in the Bordeaux wine region of France, where it is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne. As a cultural landscape demonstrating a long, living history of wine-making (dating from Roman times), Saint-ÃÂmilion was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
Its represent 67.5% of the total area of wine-producing communes (Saint-ÃÂmilion, Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Saint-Hippolyte, Saint-ÃÂtienne-de-Lisse, Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, Saint-Pey-dâÂÂArmens, Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, Vignonet, and a part of the Libourne commune) and 6% of the total Bordeaux vineyard.
The wines of Saint-ÃÂmilion are typically blended from different grape varieties, the three main ones being Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Since 1955, there has been a classification of Saint-ÃÂmilion wine. The classification is updated every 10 years or so, and consists of the following levels: Premier grand cru classé A, Premier grand cru classé B, and Grand cru classé. As of the 2022 classification, there are currently two estates at the highest level: Château Figeac and Château Pavie.
Four other appellations situated immediately north and northeast of the Saint-ÃÂmilion AOC, across the Barbanne river, are collectively known as the Saint-ÃÂmilion satellites. They are Lussac-Saint-ÃÂmilion, Montagne-Saint-ÃÂmilion, Puisseguin-Saint-ÃÂmilion, and Saint-Georges-Saint-ÃÂmilion. There were previous two other appellations: Parsac-Saint-ÃÂmilion, which became part of Montagne-Saint-ÃÂmilion in the 1970s; and Sables-Saint-ÃÂmilion, which became part of Saint-ÃÂmilion proper following lobbying by Alain Raynaud of Château Quinault. Of these, Montagne is the largest and Saint-Georges is the smallest. These previously called themselves "Saint-ÃÂmilion", but with the development of the AOC system in the 1930s, they were split off as inferior appellations (to not dilute the Saint-ÃÂmilion name), but allowed to add Saint-ÃÂmilion to the village name.
Pomerol also borders St ÃÂmilion to the west but is not considered a satellite and many of its wine compete with or outperform their neighbour, and in fact has its own satellite, Lalande-de-Pomerol, also to the north of the Barbanne.